How To Build A Miniature Doll House

Anyone can build a miniature doll house to suit his or her requirements but if you'd prefer you can also commission a miniature doll house builder to construct one for you. But those who build a miniature doll house themselves have much more appreciation for their creation than if they'd have simply paid for someone else to build a miniature doll house.

Doll houses have been made from everything imaginable from bookcases to cupboards to shelves on the backs of doors to little cabinets that fit on top of a mantel. The first law to build a miniature doll house that you should understand and internalize is the use what you have.

Let's consider the common cigar box. With the growing interest in smaller dollhouses due to smaller living spaces, many doll house builders are turning to shadowboxes, miniature rooms such as Mrs. Thorne's and finally cigar box houses. But cigar boxes today aren't what they used to be so the first step when you want to build a miniature doll house made of a cigar box is to find a quality cigar box.

Some cigar boxes are made of cardboard. Other cigar boxes have wooden sides and cardboard bottoms. Find and gather all the cigar boxes you possibly can because they will be of some use in building a miniature doll house. These miniature doll house gems are a stimulus to your imagination and working in them hones your expertise.

To start cut the two partitions that will be floors from 1/8 inch wood to exactly the right length. Sand the sides until you have a snug fit so they will stay in place without glue. They will be glued eventually but in order to work inside the house the partitions must be movable. If you have a cigar box large enough to justify upright partitions, cut them now also.

Wallpapering comes first and plain, rough papers will make a nice stucco exterior. Tiny striped ones can be used as wainscoting. Some of the contact papers are very good too but each wall should be prepared separately so as not to leave air in corners that will later make the paper peel off.

Spread white glue or wallpaper paste all over the back wall in a thin coat and the paper will stick almost instantly. Press the paper firmly into the corners then spread glue on each side and bring the paper into place. If your cigar box is very small you can spread all of the glue at once but be ready for it. Paint or paper the ceilings.

Chandeliers are the next consideration. Consider using old earrings, large beads, or other household items that resemble chandeliers. Mark two lines on the floor pieces diagonally then drill a hole where the lines intersect. Now you have the exact center point over which to hang your chandelier.